Additional units will be transferred to help defend the embattled city of Bakhmut, which Ukraine's forces have been holding "against all odds" amid continued attacks from Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
In his Sunday address, Zelensky said that Ukrainian troops "repel constant attempts" at a Russian offensive in Bakhmut, even though "most of the city" has been destroyed. The nearby city of Soledar has faced even more destruction but is holding out as well despite the difficulties, Zelensky said.
"There is no such piece of land near these two cities, where the occupier would not have given his life for the crazy ideas of the masters of the Russian regime," Zelensky said. "This is one of the bloodiest places on the frontline."
He added that Ukrainian Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi visited troops defending Bakhmut and Soledar on Sunday and "awarded the warriors for their resilience."
"On the spot, he organized the steps necessary to strengthen our defense. In particular, transfer of additional units. And intensification of fire on the invaders," Zelensky said.
It was not clear exactly how many additional Ukrainian units would be transferred to help defend Bakhmut and when they would arrive.
Russia has been conducting a monthslong effort to capture Bakhmut, located in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, despite fierce resistance from Ukraine. Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Russian mercenary Wagner Group that has been playing a key role in the offensive, admitted in an interview published last week that progress in their attempts to capture Bakhmut has been slow and grinding due to stacked lines of Ukrainian defense.
Sean Spoonts, a U.S. Navy veteran and editor-in-chief of Special Operations Forces Report (SOFREP), told Newsweek that the limited information Ukraine releases on progress in these types of fights makes it hard to predict when they might conclude.
Spoonts said that Russian forces seem to be conducting "very localized" attacks in the area, something that he believes is meant to help give experience to troops Russia has conscripted. Any slow progress there might also be attributable, at least in part, to the winter weather, which can make it very hard for troops to get around.
"It's really hard to fight in this kind of weather. The complications of it are enormous," Spoonts said.
For example, moving through just 100 yards of snow on the ground can leave soldiers "exhausted," Spoonts added.
Russia's dedication to seizing Bakhmut, despite a reportedly heavy toll on its personnel and already-limited supplies, has been scrutinized by experts. Some have assessed that Russia has little or nothing to gain tactically from capturing the city, but it could be a symbolic win for Russian President Vladimir Putin in light of recent setbacks for his army.
But Prigozhin might be eyeing more than just a morale boost in potentially seizing Bakhmut. A White House official cited by Reuters last week reportedly said that the U.S. believes the Wagner chief wants to take control of salt and gypsum mines near Bakhmut, indicating that there might be a financial factor in the continued drive to capture the city.
Additionally, Prigozhin said on his Telegram channel on Saturday that he wants control of the Bakhmut and Soledar system of mines, describing them as "underground cities" that can be used to house and move large numbers of tanks and personnel.
Newsweek reached out to the defense ministries of Russia and Ukraine for comment.
Update 1/10/23, 10:30 a.m. ET: This story was updated with comment from Sean Spoonts.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Zoe Strozewski is a Newsweek reporter based in New Jersey. Her focus is reporting on U.S. and global politics. Zoe ... Read more
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